Powerhouse Petron, Foton seek PSL lead

Games today (Alonte Sports Arena – Biñan, Laguna)

4:15 p.m. – Petron vs Foton

6:15 p.m. – Shopinas vs Mane ‘N Tail

MANILA, Philippines - Petron and Foton duel for the early lead while Shopinas and Mane ‘N Tail mark their debut in the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) women’s volleyball tournament All-Filipino Conference, which resumes today over at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The Blaze Spikers gun for their second straight win after sweeping Philips Gold last week as they face the Tornadoes at 4:15 p.m. while the Lady Clickers and Lady Stallions tangle in the 6:15 p.m. main game of the inter-club tourney backed by Asics, Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller Sports Medicine, Via Mare, LGR and Healthway Medical. 

Bannered by the core of the La Salle squad in the UAAP, Shopinas hopes to make an immediate impact behind Cha Cruz, Stephanie Mercado and Michelle Laborte. Formerly AirAsia, the squad had reached the finals twice but fell to seasoned Philippine Army in the All-Filipino Conference last year before bowing to Petron in the Grand Prix while carrying the banners of Generika.

But the Lady Clickers will be without Aby Marano and Michelle Gumabao as well as defense specialist Melissa Gohing. Marano, the second overall pick in last year’s PSL Rookie Draft, is now with Petron while Gumabao and Gohing have linked up with Philips Gold.

“It’s going to be a very challenging season for us,” said De Jesus. “We have to work doubly hard to overcome the loss of our three key players. The only good thing, however, is that we could give other young players their time to shine. I know they are all capable of stepping up.”

The Lady Stallions, meanwhile, will parade an experienced crew headed by coach Rosemarie Prochina – a member of the national squad that won the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in 1993.

Heading the squad are former Cignal aces Honey Royse Tubino, Aby Praca, Norie Jane Diaz and Arianne Argarin as well as rookies Samantha Dawson and Khristine Basco.

Focus will also be on the Petron-Foton clash with Rachel Anne Daquis re-uniting with Marano, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Frances Molina and rookie Alexa Micek for the highly-touted Blaze Spikers.

Foton, for its part, will be banking on neophytes Angeli Araneta, Pamela Lastimosa, Nicole Tiamzon and Patty Orendain, who finished with a game-high 18 points in the Tornadoes’ 25-18, 26-24, 25-23 win over Cignal over the weekend.